So going by good advice on here my mantra has become 'slow and steady wins the race' (not that I'm racing!) After feeling a bit meh at the end of week 8, week 9 so far has been good, Run 1 of week 9 I reversed the dreaded building site route and it did feel better! But knew I'd set out too fast as I felt tired at the half way point, but I slowed right down and was even able to speed up for the last 5 mins and sprint a little at the end as Jo suggested.
But today run 2 of week 9 I was determined to try and set a steady manageable pace that I could maintain for the whole run. So I was thinking slow and steady, slow and steady. But I got a bit distracted and started mucking about after about 5 mins in. Anyhoo Jo pipes up and announces I've only done 10mins and I'm thinking 'Christ, don't know if I can run for 20 more mins', I slowed down shook off those demons and kept going. At the end Jo suggests sprinting, I'm at the bottom of a little hill but I think 'oh well give it a go!' And I did it! The thing I can't believe is that I ran the 2nd km in 5mins! So much for slow and steady, no wonder I felt knackered! My average pace was just under 8mins per km with the other splits being quite even! I'm quite happy with that and hope I will learn not to have a mad 5 mins and fingers crossed the last run of week 9 will be my steady one! I won't lie there is a small bit of me thinking 'ooh could I keep up that pace for the whole run?' But I would like to survive for another run!
Think what I've learnt though is that no two runs are the same, some days you think you are being slow and you are fast. Some days your legs feel like lead weights. Some days you think ooh I could run a bit further and some days you think good god, when will this end. But is that the joy of running? The little battle with yourself just to keep going until the end? Sure feel pleased as punch that I didn't stop when the gremlin spoke up 10 mins in. I blinking well did it I just kept running! Just like I have done in all the other weeks I fought through the part of me that wants to give up and just did it.
Anyway not really sure if there was much point to this post other than wanting to brag a bit! I'm sure at week one I never believed I would run for this long, but I just followed the ap and it has happened! I more run and I can say I graduated!
Couch to... 6.55k? Robot legs?? How did that happen?!
I'm on Wk 9!
Week 9 run 2 - still can't breathe!
Week 7 Run 2 - In the bag
Wk 8 run 1.. Feeling great but concerned that I am running too slowly?
